From the state of roads, to local schools, to new recycling services, every one of us is affected by the decisions that councils make. You will be part of a team of 165 reporters working throughout the UK to hold local authorities to account through a BBC-supported service.  Your work will mean that everyone in and around Newcastle will get to hear about what their councils are doing in their name. If you’re a politically-minded reporter, ready to hold power to account in the Newcastle, then this is the position for you!  We’re looking for fresh ideas and new perspectives from people from a wide range of backgrounds, and we want you to tell us the stories you believe are important from our many communities so we can continue to diversify our content. This role is hub based from our Newcastle hub, with regular travel to attend council meetings in person across Newcastle City Council and the North East Mayoral Combined Authority. We are therefore looking for candidates based in and around Newcastle. What will the role involve? A day in the life of a Local Democracy Reporter looks like this   You’ll be covering the key business of Newcastle City Council and the North East Mayoral Combined Authority , as well as the political and social issues affecting their communities Making sure you cover the council meetings and key decisions in a timely manner You will build contacts, understand and explore the key issues, write features and break exclusives with your work having the potential to also be shown on the BBC Homepage and used by other local media partners